How does it work? Whenever someone attempts to farm, ranch or develop extractives, there is always a potential endangered species that suddenly crops up which cannot exist with the farm, ranch or extractive activity. Year after year every capitalistic venture in our country is under this same attack.
Environmentalists look to see where the capitalistic activity is and then apply concern of some unknown species to that activity. You want to open a mine? There is a potential endangered habitat there. Suddenly the media is full of stories about the newest species which is then used to stop commerce. Environmentalists trot out these species as needed.
When they do, the forces of capitalism must muster a robust defense of the proposed commerce while the environmental lawyers are paid by taxes. Importantly, when one battle is won or lost then environmental lawyers bring out the next species to battle over and the battle begins again. They battle until people who work for a living run out of money and desire to fight.
Many multi-generational ranchers have left ranching for good because the courts are stacked against them. Many battle with all their heart to continue the Agricultural heritage of America which is under attack. They battle until they no longer can battle. The media either paints them as wanting to harm endangered species or does not mention them at all.
Ultimately when Agriculture and the Extractive Industries are destroyed by political monsters for the purpose of political gain, the American citizens lose. In New Mexico there is currently a good return from Agriculture and Fossil energy which is used on public education.
But it is not as much as there could be because of environmental organizations. Starting with Global Cooling which became Global Warming and now Climate Change over forty years the answer is always harm the engine of prosperity in America. The money lost comes out of our pockets and into the pockets of the environmental lawyers and lobbyists.
Added to the never ending endangered species are attacks upon drilling procedures that are political in nature. Example: Fracking is the newest cause of the people who want to stop America’s prosperity. Even though it has been at work for decades it is the newest way to stop fossil fuel production.
The concern is political for citizens who do not understand the extractive industry. I had a conversation with an anti-fracking person who said when it is applied to the sand and wax molecules at the bottom of a two mile deep well, it causes a change in the flow of streams at the surface.
Not so I said. Then I tried to show how much energy it would take to do that. A good starting place is Project Gnome near Carlsbad New Mexico where a nuclear device exploded 1,200 feet underground and did not affect the surface.
Stay with me on this. If a nuclear explosion occurs eighty percent closer to the surface and it does not affect the surface then tell me how hydraulic fracking at 10,000 feet can do so? Obviously it cannot and the whole issue is just a political method of destroying commerce.
What I find the most interesting is that I would like New Mexico to have a negative income tax. What this means is that instead of us citizens sending money to New Mexico April 15th of each year, at that time New Mexico Tax and Revenue should send to each New Mexican: man, woman and child the bounty of a robust farm, ranch and extractive industry in the form of dollars. It would be like Alaska which does the same.
Instead of letting these people destroy our commerce it would be preferable to get a good check each year. If you think so then you must vote the environmentalists out of office.
Dr. Michael Swickard hosts the syndicated radio talk show News New Mexico six to nine a.m. Monday - Friday on a number of New Mexico radio stations and through streaming. Email: michael@swickard.com
